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It's a trial making national headlines. A man accused of being an international terrorist, but he's not on trial for that.

Protestors like Gloria LaRiva aren't happy about it.

"He's only facing charges of perjury and immigration fraud. In reality he's responsible for the bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 which killed 73 people," LaRiva said.

Posada, who was trained in explosives by the CIA, is accused of planning several bombings. Posada activists, mostly Cuban Americans like Delia Acasal have traveled to El Paso to show their support.

"He is an innocent Cuban American patriot that's being tried here in El Paso. He represents to us the democracy and the freedom that every individual should have," Acasal said.

They say Posada should not be tried for immigration charges.

He was seeking freedom just as they did.

Just like the tens of thousands who left the communist island, Posada is anti-Fidel Castro.

"Whoever was behind that probably was Castro, but now they want to make the world see that it's Posada Carriles," Acasal said.

But, other protestors say he should be sent back to Venezuela or Cuba to face the terrorism charges.

"There are mountains of evidence that Venezuela has presented to the U.S. Government to demand his extradition to this date. First the Bush administration and now the Obama administration is refusing to honor that extradition order," LaRiva said.

Jury selection began today and Posada's trial will continue tomorrow.

Comments News Comments

leonja.smith January 11, 2011 at 9:36am

It may interest some to know that while awaiting the opening of his trial on the morning of January 10th, Luis Posada Carriles was observed exiting the elevator at the Hotel Camino Real. Two guests succeeded in confronting him personally with his true crimes; those he was tried for during the public tribunal held the night prior. Body guards came quickly to his defense. The few who had travelled to support Posada were highly outnumbered by coalition forces that arrived to demand true justice.

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